Bright Future for Innovation – Building Local Talent Through Digital Upskilling
Digital Minister Gobind Singh Deo expressed confidence that Malaysia’s digital economy is on track to outpace the projected 25.5% contribution to the nation’s GDP by the end of 2025.
This optimistic outlook is driven by a combination of business-friendly policies, the strengthening ringgit, and focused initiatives aimed at transforming the country into a regional digital powerhouse.
Business-Friendly Policies Fuel Growth
Gobind highlighted that Malaysia’s favourable business environment, coupled with a stronger ringgit against the US dollar, has already sparked renewed investor confidence.
He stressed that this economic momentum is encouraging an inflow of investment, particularly in sectors that are rapidly embracing digitalisation and innovation.
“Malaysia’s approach to creating a supportive landscape for businesses, especially in the digital space, is proving successful. We are seeing a shift towards customer experience through digitalisation—a move that is necessary to maintain our competitive edge,” Gobind said at a recent Contact Centre Association of Malaysia dinner in Kuala Lumpur.
Revolutionising the Call Centre Industry
The transformation of Malaysia’s contact centre industry is a key component of the country’s digital economy push.
Gobind stressed the need to move from traditional contact centre operations towards more innovative customer experience solutions powered by cutting-edge digital tools.
“The call centre industry will play a huge role in boosting Malaysia’s digital economy,” he remarked, adding that by leveraging technology, Malaysia’s service-oriented industries can enhance customer experiences and contribute significantly to economic growth.
Forest City: A Hub for Financial Innovation
In support of this digital transformation, the government has introduced initiatives like the Malaysia Digital initiative, which offers fiscal and non-fiscal incentives for companies to scale their operations.
One such opportunity is the Forest City special financial zone, which provides an attractive business environment with special tax breaks and incentives aimed at positioning it as a preferred regional financial hub.
Gobind encouraged the contact centre industry to explore Forest City as a potential location for expansion, noting that the zone offers unique advantages for digital and financial service providers.
Building Local Talent Through Digital Upskilling
A critical part of Malaysia’s digital economy strategy is developing a skilled workforce to meet the growing demand for digital talent.
The MD Workforce initiative, a fully incentivised training programme, is designed to help Malaysians acquire in-demand digital skills, ensuring that the local talent pool is well-prepared for the challenges of the future.
Gobind also lauded the Premier Digital Tech Institutions initiative, which partners industry leaders with universities and educational institutions to bridge the gap between the skills industry demands and the supply of qualified professionals.
A Digital Future Within Reach
As Malaysia continues to strengthen its position as a leader in the digital economy, Gobind’s message is clear: innovation, talent development, and business-friendly policies are key to sustaining long-term growth.
With the right infrastructure in place, Malaysia is poised not only to meet its 25.5% GDP target but to surpass it, further cementing its role as a digital hub in the region.
